SGIG's Message

Greetings and Happy New Year to all. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and 2012 is off to a great start.

The Scottish Rite in Maryland had a banner year for 2011, thanks to each of you. The support is unbelievable and if I have not personally reached out to shake your hand, watch out, it is coming!Can you believe we had two super classes in each Valley, with more than 175 new Scottish Rite Masons putting Maryland in the black for the first time in many years!

We had our Rite Cheer lunches, a Bull & Oyster Roast, Basket Bingo, Shrimp Feast, Family Day Picnic, Wine Tasting, a Scottish Rite Cruise and a joint Grand Lodge Cruise, not to mention the Biennial Session and the cornerstone re-enactment in Washington, DC. In addition to our lodge meetings, we had degree work, Maundy Thursday, Feast of Tishri, Memorial Service, Bonnie Blink Church Service and our annual Christmas Program for the Clinic and Scottish Rite. What a wonderful way to end the year! I must thank Ill. Bro. Brent Morris, 33°, G.C. and Hon. Fred Reitz, 32°, KCCH for the “Sweet Magic of Christmas” idea and Bro. Joe Ries, 32° for the bicycles given to children from the clinic. Each of these events was a huge success, only because you were there to support them. I thank each of you sincerely!

Each Valley has worked very hard for the membership and NO ONE can say things are status quo in Maryland! Feel free to walk up to the Personal Rep in your Valley and just say “thank you” for all they do.

2012 — What will this year bring? I pray that it will bring each of you health, happiness and prosperity. I hope the Scottish Rite will continue to grow and be the organization that you are proud to be part of and that you encourage others to join. I pray that the work of each one of us will help our children and our children’s children have a future even better than the one we enjoy today in the greatest country in the world.